Kulaluk, Minmarama Aboriginal communities enter ‘lock-ins’

The Kulaluk and Minmarama are the latest communities to enter self-imposed lock-ins in a bid to curb the Territory’s Covid-19 outbreak.

UPDATE: TWO neighbouring Darwin Aboriginal communities have become the latest to go into a self imposed lock-in to contain the spread of Covid.

Minmarama and Kulaluk are expected to go into a lock-in later today, with fences already set up around the Dick Ward Dr communities.

Gwalwa Daraniki Association chairwoman Helen Secretary said there were 13 cases in Minmarama, 16 per cent of the community, and 12 in Kulaluk, a quarter of residents. She said further testing of close contacts was underway.

She said no patients had been taken to Howard Springs and were isolating at home.

Ms Secretary said all adults had had their two doses, but many were still waiting for a booster.

“Some of the kids got their shot last week,” she said.

Ms Secretary said plans had been in place for a lock-in for some time.

“We’ve been intending to do this ourselves prior to that (Bagot lockdown),” she said.

Ms Secretary said since cases were detected, they had been organising deliveries of food and supplies.

“We’re the ones trying to assist the ones in community,” she said.

Ms Secretary said food deliveries would continue in the lockdown to those who needed them.

She thanked Danila Dilba and NT Health for their assistance.

Danila Dilba chief executive Rob McPhee said the organisation supports the residents of Minmarama and Kulalak to go into a lock-in, due to growing positive cases of COVID-19.

At the request of community leaders Danila Dilba was working with NT Health and Larrakia Nation to provide support through testing and other logistics involved with the lockdown.

“With the growing numbers of COVID cases in Darwin this is an important call to make for the safety of the community,” he said.

EARLIER: THE Kulaluk and Minmarama communities on Dick Ward Dr are the latest Aboriginal communities to enter self-imposed lock-ins in a bid to curb the Territory’s Covid-19 outbreak.

Gwalwa Daraniki Association chairwoman Helen Secretary said the communities were fully double-vaccinated but there were a few residents in isolation and non-essential traffic in and out had been suspended.

Minmarama residents Daniella and Daniel Shorty. Picture: (A) manda Parkinson

Mobile testing centres are on site for residents and provisions will be made for food and other essentials to be made available.

More to come.